MONTREAL - A bulk carrier called the Vigorous is the first ocean-going vessel to reach the Port of Montreal without a stopover in 2016.
The Vigorous left from Sohar, Oman, on Nov. 30 and crossed the Montreal port's downstream limits in Sorel, Que. at 5:21 Friday morning.
The ship's captain will receive the Gold-Headed Cane award, which has been presented since 1840 to the captain of the first vessel to arrive each year.
In early years the award was a top hat, but it was changed to reflect the tastes of the period around 1880.
Captain Jun Eric Alio Dalipe will accept the award from the Montreal port authority during a ceremony on Monday.
The Vigorous flies the flag of the Marshall Islands and is operated by the Vigorous Shipping and Trading Co.
